Harlingen fire officials offer safety tips for cold weather

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Rio Grande Valley is anticipating some colder-than-normal weather, prompting fire officials to discuss the increased risk of house fires with dropping temperatures.

Harlingen Fire Lieutenant Noel Smith said the most common calls this time of year involve space heater fires. As people try to get the most heat out of portable heaters, Smith said they oftentimes don't use them properly.

"A lot of people try to get them to be where they need them and so sometimes they'll use extension cords or surge protectors to get them to where they can use them better," Smith said. "But it's always important that they're plugged directly into an outlet."

So what can you do to stay safe?

One of the best ways to use a space heater safely is to keep it at least three feet away from anything that can burn or catch on fire. This includes clothes, blankets, curtains, and people.

You should also never plug a portable heater into an extension cord or alternative power outlet. Most extension cords are not designed to handle high electrical currents that come from space heaters and this can cause them to overheat or catch on fire.

Smith also recommends using newer-model space heaters designed with a thermostat and overheating protection. These heaters will automatically shut off after a certain amount of time and will shut off if they fall over.

However, house fires aren't the only risk that increases during cold weather.

Smith said another common mistake people make when trying to keep warm is using a stove or oven for extra heat.

"We always caution against that because that's not the intended use of the appliance," Smith said.

The risk of carbon monoxide poisoning increases as people use gas furnaces, fireplaces, and space heaters more frequently.

Carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms include headaches, dizziness, and nausea. Smith said the best way to protect yourself is to keep a carbon monoxide detector inside at all times.

The carbon monoxide detector will alert you if gas levels have gone above an acceptable limit.